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43 thoughts on “Help Us Out!”

This is a tough one. I believe it’s a morning shot, so the perspective is looking north. Is that Oaks Bottom to the left, with the west hills beyond? If so, the shot would be on the east side. There’s a men’s clothing store across the street, so the street would be somewhat commercial.

Also, this does not appear to be a park, per se. With the easels and nonstandard playground equipment, I would guess a private playground/schoolyard built for very small children.

Based upon the elevation of the West Hills in this picture, I would make a guess-a-mate that this site is either in the Brooklyn neighborhood or in Sellwood. The picture appears to be positioned looking west towards the West Hills, yet a slight distance from the river.

I believe I’ve found it. Go to 1678 SW 13th Ave in Google maps streetview and look at the playground opposite the freeway. The Grandview apartments at SW 14th and Columbia look similar to the apartment building (with the bay windows) in the background. The first section of I-405 in Portland opened in February 1969, so the date on this could be wrong.

the center of the photo shows a large apartment building beyond what are either pilings, or an odd fence. that apartment might still be there; sadly, that decrepit victorian with the fantastic chimney likely isn’t! i agree this is somewhere on the east, tho maybe not as far south as sellwood. is that the pittock on top of the hill? that would put this closer to powell.

Ooops…its not on SE Ankeny..took another look at street level pic of City bikes; adjoining houses do not match up with your picture. I think the picture was taken close in West side…but I still think that the hill in the background is Mt. Scott.

This looks like the playground is on the roof of a commercial building. Look how the walkway at the far right goes down to a gate at the street.

In the block the picture was taken from the land slopes up behind the photographer. But a little farther off at left, the two houses look like it slopes down behind them. Then there is a low forested hill or a grove of tall trees, then a distant hill with houses. Could that distant hill be Mt. Scott or part of the west hills? Where is such a view interrupted by a forested hill?

Also, at the left it looks like there are some I-beams stacked up as if for a construction project. Or something.

it looks like the playground is where two houses (1228 and 1224 sw market) once stood. directly across is 1221, which has had a storefront added after the sanborns stopped being made, and to the west of that house is an apartment building (1235) that fits the building in the image. victorian immediately west of playground was 1230 sw market, which also matches the map outlines.

To expound on my previous comment and wl and bburk’s comment, I think the two trees that outline the distant Grandview Apartments mark the intersection of 13th and market. The ivy-covered wall in the background is the older section of the Helen Gordon Childhood Development Center that faces 12th. The Victorian on the left was demolished for construction of the newer section of the Center.

So the location of the photo is near SW 13th and Market looking West/Northwest.

Jim must be right. The low hill is the Vista ridge. The row of vertical element right in the middle of the picture turns out under magnification to be a row of steel pilings where they are starting to build a retaining wall for the 405 freeway.

Jane,
Before the daycare was known as the Helen Gordon Child Development Center and became affiliated with Portland State, it was the independent Fruit & Flower Day Nursery, which moved to the East side and remains Portland’s oldest daycare.

Jim…I was up late last night tormented by this photo! Thank you for the clarification of the day care facility. Love the history and story of this location, but especially all the sleuthing by this amazing group. 🙂

The “Number Man” is a city employee or contractor seen in many of the historical photos documenting the city’s public works projects. Examples include address renumbering or street widening projects. You’ll see references to him throughout the site as he holds a numbered sign in the foreground of the photo.
More info here:https://vintageportland.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/the-number-man/